Executive remuneration packages
Request
Please can you provide information on the total remuneration packages for each named member of the "Executive Team" as listed on the Commission's website.
This information to include gross salary, pension contributions and the values of motor vehicles supplied as part of the overall remuneration packages.
Response
Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
In your email you have requested:
Information on the total remuneration packages for each named member of the "Executive Team" as listed on the Commission's website, to include gross salary, pension contributions and the values of motor vehicles supplied as part of the overall remuneration packages.
The Commission does not supply motor vehicles as part of remuneration packages, therefore no information of this type is held.
Information relating to the salary bands of the Executive Team will be included in our Annual Report, which will be published in the coming weeks. Therefore, we consider this information to be exempt under section 22 of the FOIA.
Section 22(1) of the FOIA (“information that is intended to be published in the future”) provides that information is exempt if:
a) the information is held by the public authority with a view to its publication, by the authority or any other person, at some future date (whether determined or not), b) the information was already held with a view to such publication at the time when the request for information was made,
This is a qualified exemption, therefore the Commission must consider whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption is greater than the public interest in disclosing the requested information.
Arguments in favour of disclosure
It is recognised that there is a legitimate public interest in promoting the accountability and transparency of public authorities and in Government Departments providing information they hold that falls within the scope of an FOI request as quickly as possible.
Arguments in favour of maintaining the exemption
However, this needs to be balanced with the public interest in the Commission ensuring the maximum time/cost effectiveness; providing this information in response to a FOI request is not the most time/cost effective way of placing this information in the public domain when it will be published in due course on the Commission website.
The Commission maintains a regular publication schedule, which has now been detailed on the Commission website for clarity.
Weighing the balance
Having considered the above factors, the Commission is of the view that the balance of the public interest lies in maintaining the exemption. There is no outstanding public interest in releasing this information prior to its intended publication. Given the necessary preparation and administration involved in publishing the information, we consider that our publication timetable is reasonable.
We are unable to provide any further salary information for the individual roles as this will constitute personal data.
The Data Protection Act 2018 requires the processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would be disproportionate for us to publicly disclose these details unless there is a strong public interest in doing so. These individuals have a legitimate expectation that their personal details will not be disclosed in the context in which they were held.
On balance, there is no legitimate public interest in disclosing this information and it would not be fair to do so.
Review of the decision
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email.
Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.
If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission.
The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in a new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Information Management Team
Gambling Commission
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BP